Since last year's defeat, the Boxster has been completely rebuilt including a wider, lower body, less weight, a smaller but more powerful engine and a cabin design inspired by the recently revamped 911 coupe.

The new 2.7-litre flat six engine in the base model replaces the former 2.9-litre unit and develops an extra 8kW (up to 195kW) while losing 10Nm (down to 280Nm). It’s also 15.4 per cent more efficient (7.7L/100km) when teamed with Porsche’s “PDK” seven-speed dual-clutch auto. It also has a stop-start system for the first time, and energy recuperation to feed power back into the battery during coasting.

The Boxster also gets the same front suspension set-up as the rear-engined 911, plus the same electro-mechanical steering. Interior styling is also lifted from the 911, while exterior design is more aggressive. The new Boxster also addresses one of the key criticisms of the old one, replacing the manual roof release mechanism with a fully automated one.

Performance Statistics

0-60 km/h

0-100 km/h

0-400 m

Top speed

Porsche Boxster 2.7 PDK

3.2

6.9

14.9

159

New car review: Porsche Boxster Go shopping for a Porsche sports car and the Boxster is the most affordable on the market.